The present invention relates to a vehicle accessory for storage and actuation of a garage door opening transmitter providing the dual function of additional storage.
Electrically operated garage doors and associated remote transmitters are in universal use. The remote transmitter typically is a portable, battery-powered unit which is stored in the home owner's vehicle for selectively transmitting t signal to the garage door actuating mechanism. Frequently, these remote transmitters are clipped to vehicle visors or in some cases removably mounted to the instrument panel or simply placed in an accessory tray in an armrest console or the like.
Difficulty with such mounting arrangements has been solved by the provision of garage door opening storage compartments in overhead consoles as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,228, in which such transmitters are fixedly attached to the floor of an overhead storage compartment and a movable panel encloses the storage compartment and can be depressed for actuating the now hidden and safely stored remote transmitter.
Other storage compartments, typically mounted in an overhead console, have also been provided in vehicles for small items, such as sunglasses and the like. U.S. Pat. No. 4,469,365 discloses one such array of storage bins mounted to an overhead console of a vehicle. Smaller consoles typically will include t single sunglass storage compartment typically located near the rearview mirror area of it vehicle in a console which may also include overhead lights and electronic devices, such as an electronic compass. Some larger vehicles incorporate a garage door transmitter storage compartment and a separate sunglass storage compartment, however, such vehicles, such as sport utility vehicles, are relatively large and can accommodate consoles having room for multiple storage compartments. With the down-sizing of many vehicles, providing the capability of storing the remote transmitter and actuating it easily externally through the storage compartment and providing a separate sunglass storage is difficult in view of the relatively small space available for consoles which occupy significant overhead space in a vehicle.
There exists a need, therefore, for a system in which the space problem for multiple storage compartments can be solved while also providing the convenience of a garage door opening transmitter control and storage compartment.